The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-07-07
A MARVELLOUS SPRING.
A Mexican Pool That Cures ALI the
Ills That Flesh Is Heir to.
SPECIAL Correspondence of The statesman

CoAHUILA, Mex, June %, 1887.
He who is in possession of knowledge
valuable to all mankind, and refuses to
give it the widest practicable publicity,
must be accounted as little less than an
enemy of his race, and it is because do
not wish to be so classified, and wish, on
the contrary, to do positive good to my
fellow man, that l address this letter to
The STATESMAN, sincerely trusting that it
may be read by many thousands, and be
widely reproduced. My purpose is to
give some account of San Lucas spring
and its marvellous health restoring prop
critics. l do not speak of springs, but of
spring, for the blessed waters are con-
fined to one fountain at their source, and
the reader, in forming an idea of this
place, must dismiss from his mind all no
tions of springs derived from visiting the
various health resorts of the United
States. We have here no fashionable
Spa, with great hotels, whose stoops and
piazzas are thronged with wealth and
beauty; nor, in fact, have we any OF the
artificial adornments and accessories of
modern watering place; but we have the
spring itself, and having that
we are rich beyond price in all
that makes a health resort worth
visiting. 1 can have no motive to exag-
crate the virtues of San Lucas, for l have
no interest here beyond that of a visitor
and observer. My own health is perfect
aud I am here simply as the attendant of
dear friend who is taking the baths for
stubborn spinal affection which makes
it necessary that he should have an assist
ant always at hand. Some months ago 1
came here with Capt. w. H. Kingsbery, of
Ell Paso, an old and widely known Texan,
who is the friend referred to, and my in
credulity as to the rare virtues of the
spring has vanished in the presence of
facts brought to my attention too clearly
to admit of dispute. San Lucas spring
lies in a romantic canon, about three miles
from its mouth and forty miles from the
Mexican International railroad running
from Piedras Negras, just across the Rio
Grande from Eagle Pass, Texas, into the
heart of the republic, and soon to connect
with the Mexican Central at Laredo. The
spring, which is pool of crystal clear
water, about ten feet in diameter and four
feet deep, lies in a spacious cave, accessl
BILE through natural doorway in the rock
large enough for several men to enter at
time, and its waters are discharged
through dark tuDnel-like orifce dipping
toward the heart of the mountain, at a
steep angle, and reappear sew
eral hundred yards down the
canon, from which point they flow in a
pretty stream into the great, broad valley
below. This spring and its healing prop
critics have doubtless been known for
centuries to the Indians and Mexicans,
but very few in the United States, except
limited number along the Rio Grande
border, have ever heard of it; and, more's
the pity, for many life might have been
saved had there been wider information
as to its existence and virtues. Without
consuming your valuable space with I'M
necessary details, will get to the pith OF
the subject at once by stating that in
my Judgment, formed not upon con
| lecture or loose rumor, but upon authentic
facts, San Lucas springs can cure larger
variety of more stubborn and serious
diseases than any other body of water on
earth. will go futher and say that II
will cure diseases considered by physi-
clans as incurable, and which no other
known spring in the world can cure. Il
will cure Bright's disease of the kidneys,
and cancer of the stomach, and know OF
no other agency in this world equal to
to such benefcent work as that. The
way it builds up ruined kidneys is ma,.
velous, as Duncan Campbell, we'll known
stockman whose address is Del Rio, Tex.
will cordially testify: and William Shell
ton, of Fredericksburg, Texas, who came
here almost devoured alive with cancer
of the stomach, and left sound and fat
will doubtless be very willing to tell
what he thinks of San Lucas.
For all diseases growing out of lmpur-
titles of the blood this spring is also most
efficacious, and the faith of the Mexicans
in the universally of its curing powers
extends even to the belief that it will make
barren women fruitful, as instanced by
the case of handsome signora who, &C.
companied by her watchful husband, spent
two weeks here this spring, and took the
waters for the sole and svowed purpose OF
enabling her to bear child. In cases OF
paralysis, San Lucas is easily ahead, and
Captain Kingsbery, whose troubles OF
that kind are deeply rooted and of long
standing, is being surely restored tc
health, after trying the waters of famou:
springs in the United States without any
beneficial results whatever.
San Lucas is doubtless the nearest
realization of the scriptural Pool of Sloan
to be found on this earth, but the reader
must not infer that such grave diseases a:
Bright's disease, cancer and paralysis car
be eradicated by two or three weeks So
journ here. Health is cheap at any price
and William Shelton was here for months
before he conquered the fearful canoe
in his stomach. Duncan Campbell go
his kidneys built up as good as new by
months stay, but some cases would IN
doubtedly require longer treatment. Tn,
length of stay will, of course, be differen
in different cases, and 20 fixed rul
on the point can be estab
lished. Quite a number of Ameri.
cans have been dropping in at interval,
along, and at one time there were twelv,
or fifteen here. The weather is mild a
nearly all seasons, and the temperature Of
the waters of the spring is just right &c
be thoroughly refreshing in either mid
winter or midsummer. There are nc
hotel facilities here, the collection o.
adobes known as the Hacienda San Bias
three miles distant in the valley. being
the chief symDtOr1s of architecture in IN,